Geoegb heechbll beiggs



(No Model.)

G. Pip-BRIGGS,

COUNTER STIFFENER.

No. 357,901. Patented F eb.15,-1887.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HERGHELL BRIGGS, OF NORTH GRAFTON, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES H. NELSON, 0F SAME PLACE.

COUNTER-STIFFENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,901, dated February 15, 1887.

Application filed September 28, 1886. Serial No. 214,775. (No model.)

Toall whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE HEROHELL BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Grafton, in the county of Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counters or HeelStiffeners for Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide counters or heel-stiffeners for boots or shoes of such construction that they may be more easily bent into shape and will make a neater and squarer heel than those heretofore in use.

I accomplish this object by cutting away the stock of the counter or heel-stifiener to form a groove on the line on which it is to be bent to form the horizontal lip or heelseat, which projects inward from the body of the counter when the latter is in place, the groove thus cut in the material weakening the counter somewhat on the line where the bend is to be made, so that the operation of shaping the counters is rendered comparatively easy, and the lasting of the shoes may thus be more rapidly and easily accomplished than heretofore. The portion of the counter-blank which forms the lip or heel-seat is chamfered or beveled off from a point at or near the cutaway groove to the edge of the blank; but the groove is far enough from the said edge, so that the blank is of substantially the same thickness on both sides of the groove.

In the drawings, Figure l is an inside view of my improved counter or heel stiffener blank. Figs. 2, 8, and 4 are sectional views illustrating my invention.

A denotes the body portion of the counter or heel stiffener, and B the lip portion thereof, which, when the counter is in place in the shoe, is bent and. set at right angles to the said body portion, forming the heel-seat. At the base of the said lip or heel-seat, or on the line where the bond is to be made, I cut away the material to form a groove, 0, said groove being preferably made on the inside of the counter and being ii-shaped, as shown in Fig. 3; but it may also be of other form, as the halfmade in the outer side of the counter on the line where the bend is to be made. The V- shaped groove on the inside of the counter is, however, considered best, as it formsa miter, so that when the counter is bent into shape the opposite sides of the groove will it closely together, as shown in Fig. 2, and the outer side of the counter at the bend will have a smooth square corner, which will contribute to giving a neat finish to the boot or shoe.

It will be observed that the counter-blank is of the same thickness, or substantially so, on both sides of the groove 0, so that the lip or heel-seat has sufficient stock at its base to give it the proper strength and stiffness, the said lip tapering or decreasing in thickness from or near its base to its edge.

Thus it will be apparent that with my improved counters or counter-blanks the operation of lasting is considerably lessened, as the said blanks, when properly moistened, may be readily bent into proper form, and a shapely heel will be given to the boot or shoe without necessitating the very considerable pounding heretofore required to effect this result.

I am aware that a counter or counter-blank has heretofore been provided wit-l1 a groove or crease atthe base of the lip or on the line where the bend was to be made, as shown by Patent No. 189,126; but in such case the groove or crease was a mere indentation, and was not made by removing or cutting away a portion of the stock. so that the result attained by my invention was not successfully secured.

I am also aware that it has been proposed to rabbet the edges of counters or counterblanks by removing a portion of the material at the said edges, as shown in Patent No. 152,030, so that the lip which is to be turned at right angles to the body of the counter will have only a part of the'thiokness of the body it is to be bent to form the lip or heel'seat, In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the said blank being of substantially the same presence of two witnesses.

thickness on both sides of the said groove and i the said lip or heel-seat tapering or deereas- GEORGE HERCHELL BRIGGS 5 ing in thickness from or near the said groove itnesses:

to its edge, substantially as shown and de- CHAS. S. HALE, scribed. HENRY E. HILL. 

